Luckily for my son, he has a mother who finds things like this to be a challenge not a hindrance. As a military spouse and the mother of three children -- Gabriel (now 10), one grown child with ADHD, Nicole, and my 8-year-old daughter Pilar --I have always been determined to use the spirit and determination God has given me to empower my kids to be the best they can be … and Gabriel is no different. As a matter of fact, prior to the official diagnosis, we had suspected Aspergers, and had already begun therapy for Gabriel. With a variety of issues in language, social and some sensory areas, I believe that the best investment for our son has been therapy. And now, 18 months after his diagnosis, I can confidently say that our son has made great progress.
It was important for me to find support, other parents who were going through a similar situation. My husband was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas at the time, and I began to think about where I could go on post to learn more. During my initial research about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), I discovered what seems to be a higher occurrence of ASD in Military families than in the general population! It made sense there would be a support group for the Ft. Bliss ASD Families, so I contacted the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). To my surprise, there was no group! Now, I'm not the type of person to sit around and wait for something to happen … I make things happen. So very quickly, I implemented and coordinated the Ft. Bliss Parents of Children with Special Needs Support Group. The support groups provide a safe environment to talk about the issues both the children and the parents face. It is also an opportunity to network about things such as service providers, Tricare and school issues.
Four months after my son's diagnosis, the Army moved us to Ft. Leavenworth, KS. And once again, due to the lack of an established support group, I started one. Today you will find both groups growing like any grassroots group would grow, by hard work, word of mouth and love from empowered moms.
April is Autism Awareness Month, started in the 1970's by The Autism Society, to bring awareness to ASD. The Autism Spectrum refers to all levels of autism, encompassing those who have a lower functioning capacity based on their severity of the disorder, to High Functioning Aspergers (where my son is) and everything in between. April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day and in conjunction the 2nd of April is Light it up Blue. Buildings and companies around the world light up blue to remind the world about Autism Awareness and in my eyes, to celebrate the leaps and bounds those on the spectrum can and have made, as well as the leaps and bounds made in understanding and treating ASD.
Earlier I mentioned the word empowerment; there is a reason for that. I feel that there is nothing more positive, helpful and sustaining as empowerment. If I am not empowered to take control and march the family through the struggles of life, then surely I will struggle to stay on the path that will lead my son to success. Finding the answers to questions and needs and learning to fix the problems will only make me stronger and more capable. This is a skill I can share with other younger, newer or still struggling military wives. Empower yourself so you can empower your children. I work every day to do that for my children, because one day their lives will be, or in Nicole's case is, in their hands.
Here are some ways to educate and empower yourself if you have a loved one on the Spectrum, or if you’d like more information about Autism Awareness Month:
Contact the EFMP office at your local Military Installation
www.autism-society.org
www.worldautismawarenessday.org
www.lightitupblue.org.
